The Ehealth, Telehealth and Telemedicine Blog

Anonymity — Questionable Online Therapy Practice?

In a recent New York Times article, Dr. Carolyn Turvey suggested the need for collecting identifying information from patients. The author of that same article then quoted the opposing view of a spokeswoman for an online therapy company. The spokeswoman explained that 90% of therapists using their platform don’t collect identifying information, because “Patients with [...]

Let’s Think about the NYT article: “The Therapist Will See You Now, via the Web”

Did you see the New York Times article, “The Therapist Will See You Now, via the Web“? It’s a wonderful article advancing telemental health, except for one comment by  Tania S. Malik, the CEO of Cope Today. Like many of the start-ups in this space, this company seems to be linking therapists to consumers, which [...]

PREDICTION: Will We Be Treating Mental Health Patients by Smartphone before 2020 (Part I)

A recent PEW study reported that over one third (35%) of American adults age 18 and over own a smartphone of some kind. One quarter (25%) of smartphone owners report that their phone is where they do most of their online browsing.  When asked about how they feel about their devices, 72% of smartphone owners [...]

SKYPE & HIPAA (ePHI vs PHI)

There seems to be continued confusion about whether or not Skype is HIPAA compliant. Please allow me to  post some of the additional requirements under HIPAA and let you consider if you are compliant when using Skype. First, there are the “rules” under HIPAA: transactions, security and privacy. Some of our colleagues see the security [...]

Have You Seen This HIPAA Compliant Video Portal?

As previously discussed, companies devoted to mental health practice and offering “HIPAA Compliant” video platforms are now surfacing. One such service is Iconic Health’s HomePsych for organizations or private practices.

West Virginia Legislators Introduce Bill to Define Telepsychology

Our legislative leaders are recognizing the importance of Telepsychology. In West Virginia, House Bill 3123 was introduced on Monday to define Tele psychology. It reads:

A BILL to amend and reenact §30-21-3 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §49-7-36, all relating to encouraging the use of telemedicine, telepsychology and video conferencing in order to make child welfare system more effective and efficient; defining telepsychology and specifying it is considered to be practicing psychology for licensing requirements.

17 Questions to Answer Before Working with Consumers Online as a Licensed Mental Health Professional

What might a consumer want to know when hiring you to work as a “licensed” professional? These 17 questions were sparked by an interview with a journalist who asked me what a consumer might need to consider when hiring a professional online. The questions then, are meant to help both professionals and consumers think about the issues their online therapists should address, at least when asked, if not before delivering professional care.